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CASE STUDY 4 Cutty Sark Conservation Project

1 May, 2006

FOCUS ON: MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

As a counterpoint to the Cutty Sark composite construction, we are exploring the potential of engineered timber components to form an internal structural surface to the auxiliary accommodation at the stern of the Cutty Sark.

Modern cutting techniques for engineered timber no longer require the standardisation of panels for the manufacturing process. We can now design individual panels of complex 2D shapes - which together create curved 3D forms - and keep waste material to a minimum.

We wanted to create two habitable floors within the ship, which has an internal height of 4.8m. If we had used conventional timber construction, the floor depth including fire protection would be 300mm, giving unacceptable floor-toceiling heights of 2.1m. Lenotec allowed the floor depth to be reduced to 100mm. The optimum performance of the Lenotec panels is achieved through use of components 169mm deep with a spanning capability of 6m, delivered in 3m widths.

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